Nahum 3 6

Nahum 3:6 kjv

And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.

Nahum 3:6 nkjv

I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle.

Nahum 3:6 niv

I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.

Nahum 3:6 esv

I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.

Nahum 3:6 nlt

I will cover you with filth
and show the world how vile you really are.

Nahum 3 verses

Nahum 3 6 Meaning

This verse describes Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, as being like a place of carnage and emptiness. It foretells a terrible destruction that will leave the city utterly devastated, filled with the dead and echoing with the sounds of ruin. The people will flee, and the city will be abandoned to desolation.

Nahum 3 6 Context

Nahum 3 describes the final, comprehensive destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The chapter moves from lamenting Nineveh's impending doom to detailing the causes of God's wrath: its history of cruelty, violence, deceit, and exploitation. Verse 6 specifically focuses on the ignominious and utterly ruinous fate that awaits the city. It acts as a culmination of the accusations and a preview of the total devastation God will bring upon Assyria's pride and power. This prophecy was directed to the people of Judah, assuring them that God's justice would be executed upon their oppressor.

Nahum 3 6 Word analysis

• Behold:

  • (Hebrew: hinnēh)
  • An interjection commanding attention, signaling that what follows is significant and immediate. It's a call to witness God's action.

• I:

  • (Hebrew: ʾānōḵî)
  • Emphatic declaration by God Himself, the divine speaker, underscoring His personal involvement in bringing judgment.

• Will bring:

  • (Hebrew: nāṯatî - qahal piel perfect)
  • A causative action; God is the active agent causing the disgrace. It denotes a definitive decree already enacted in the divine realm.

• Upon you:

  • (Hebrew: ʿālêḵ)
  • Directly addresses Nineveh, making the judgment personal and specific to the city.

• A disgrace:

  • (Hebrew: qallôṯ)
  • Represents shame, dishonor, indignity, and contempt. It signifies more than just defeat; it is a stripping away of all prestige and honor. This is the opposite of the "glory" often associated with empires.

• A rejection:

  • (Hebrew: məʾūs)
  • To cast out, to despise, to refuse. It conveys utter repudiation and casting away as worthless or loathsome. Nineveh will be treated as something vile.

• And I will make you:

  • (Hebrew: wəḡāmactîḵ)
  • God declares His intention to transform Nineveh’s status from a mighty empire to an object of contempt.
  • A spectacle:
    • (Hebrew: māšôq)
    • An object of mockery, derision, or horror. It implies public exposure of its downfall for all to see and scorn.

• Of a ruin:

  • (Hebrew: lĕrĕḵûq)
  • Literally, to a state of utter devastation and ruin, a place of destruction. This signifies the completeness of the city’s demise.

• Words/Phrases group analysis:

  • "Behold, I will bring upon you a disgrace, a rejection": This strong opening establishes the core theme of Nineveh’s loss of status and the extreme negative judgment from God. The emphasis is on ignominy and being cast aside.
  • "and I will make you a spectacle of a ruin": This amplifies the previous statement, detailing how the disgrace and rejection will manifest – through public shame and becoming a visible symbol of complete desolation. It paints a vivid picture of total ruin and the exposure of its brokenness.

Nahum 3 6 Bonus section

The prophecy in Nahum against Nineveh serves as a stark reminder of divine justice and the consequences of unrepentant sin, particularly against God's people. The image of a city becoming a "spectacle of a ruin" speaks to a public, humiliating downfall, reflecting a complete reversal of its former power and glory. This fits into a broader biblical theme where nations that exalt themselves against God are ultimately brought low, often with vivid descriptions of their downfall intended to encourage the faithful and warn others. The swiftness and completeness of Nineveh's destruction, though it occurred decades after Nahum's prophecy, illustrates the terrifying accuracy of God's word.

Nahum 3 6 Commentary

Nahum 3:6 prophesies the utter disgrace and ruin of Nineveh. God declares He will bring shame and rejection upon the city, turning it into a spectacle of destruction. This judgment is not just military defeat but a profound loss of dignity and honor. Nineveh, once proud and feared, will become a byword for desolation. The Hebrew words used emphasize contempt (məʾūs) and becoming an object of public mockery or horror (māšôq). This aligns with God’s consistent pattern of humbling the arrogant and punishing the oppressors of His people. The thoroughness of this pronouncement underscores God’s absolute sovereignty and His commitment to justice against nations that perpetrate violence and injustice.